What a weekend this turned out to be.
It started with something I never thought I’d see in my lifetime. An albino zebra foal. .
From there we turned our attention to the Ximungwe Female. She’s denning at the moment with two cubs that we estimate to be around ten to twelve weeks old, and we were desperate to get a good view of them. Our first attempt was an afternoon session at the den site, and honestly, the bush humbled us. We sat for hours and saw nothing but a few lizards warming themselves on the rocks. No leopard. No cubs. Nothing.
So we were back at first light the following morning. And this time, as we pulled up to the den site, there she was. Sitting out in the open. Moments later, she began contact calling, that low rasping sound a female leopard makes when she wants her cubs to come to her. But instead of the cubs emerging, she got up and disappeared into the thickets to go to them. And then we waited. And waited.
After more than an hour of patience, we were finally rewarded with the most incredible sighting. The Ximungwe Female out in the open with both cubs. It was one of those moments where all the time invested, the failed afternoon, the early morning start, the long wait, all of it just falls away because what you’re looking at is so special.
To close out the drive, we swung past two of the two Gijima Male lions. These are enormous males in their prime and they were resting on the banks of the Sand River with the most stunning view stretched out behind them. It was one of those scenes that just stops you.
What a weekend. Three completely different sightings, each one remarkable in its own right. And the exciting news is that next weekend is shaping up to be just as good. The Gijima Males have been seen mating with a new lioness, which is always dramatic viewing, and we think we may have found another leopard den site. So make sure you come back for that one.
Enjoy This Virtual Safari…
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Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
Afternoon LGR. Whilst I wait as patiently as possible for the virtual safari video clip to be put up, here’s me to summerise it. It sounds very unusual indeed to see a plain white albino zebra foal. Like you, I have personally never seen anything like that in my lifetime either. It might well look sweet and cute, as all baby animals do when they’re young and tiny, but if you could imagine having lots of snow there, I don’t think you’d be able to see or spot it there at all, as it will be totally camerflarged against a white landscape.
As the 2 tiny cubs of the Ximungwe female are roughly about 10 to 12 weeks old in age by now, have you been able to get a really good, clear and close enough look at their rear ends to see what gender they are yet at all? There’s only 3 choices of what they could be, they’re either 2 boys, 2 girls or 1 of each. Whilst we know that she’s successfully raised 2 handsome, independent and elusive big young males from her first and second litters respectively, and though her third and fourth litters were unsuccessful sadly, let’s hope she’ll be able to raise both cubs together which could be a first time for her. I want them both to live.
I don’t know whereabouts she’s denning them there, but one thing is for sure, I can’t wait to see and get a good and clear proper look and view of them playing with each other and nursing from their experienced and devoted good mother. I hope she will be adding her two cubs to her tiny list of very well raised offspring.
As we know her all to well, I’m sure she will be a very good and devotedly protective mother to her cubs. If she senses any type of danger, then she’ll either send the tiny twosome back into their current densite, or move them to a new densite if absolutely necessary. At nearly eleven yrs old, I hope she’ll have more.
Whilst she has got two small cubs right now at the moment currently, but despite her age, I hope she’ll produce at least another 2 litters of cubs before her time is up and she’s totally infertile. If she will do what we hope she’ll do with her 2 current cubs, then she feel so very pleased with herself, once they are both independent fully and she’s added them to her very tiny and short list of very well and successfully raised offspring.
I think you made a slight mistake & error at the bottom of the paragraph. There only 2 of the Gajima males and 4 of the younger N’waswishaka males. So I assume you meant to say 2 of the 4 – 5year old N’waswishaka males instead really. Didn’t you? Do you know who the brand new lioness is that they’ve been mating with there at all? But it sounds very good and exciting news that they’re trying to sire some more cubs altogether there. I’m so very sure that you meant to say N’waswishaka males, not the Gajima males really. I can’t get it out of my mind. I bet they’re starting to make a name for themselves there now. Aren’t they?
Hope to hear from you shortly.
Robert 29.3.26
Robert, great to hear from you as always. I love the snow camouflage thought. You’re absolutely right, put that foal in a snowfield and it would vanish completely. Unfortunately for it, the Sabi Sand doesn’t offer much in the way of snow so it remains the most conspicuous animal on the landscape.
On the cubs, no, we haven’t been able to sex them yet. At ten to twelve weeks they are still too young and we haven’t had a clear enough view to tell. As you say, three possibilities, and we will just have to wait a little longer to find out. But whatever they are, the Ximungwe Female is doing a fantastic job so far and at her age and with her experience I have real confidence in her.
Yes, only two Gijima Males.
Thank you as always for the detailed and thoughtful comment Robert. Speak soon.
Thanks for some amazing footage. Great to see.
Thanks so much, Jos. I am glad you enjoyed this one.
Sean, always look forward to your Virtual Safari as well as the daily blog posts. It gives me a nice start to my day. We appreciate all the time and effort to bring part of Africa to us. Though we have been on safari 6 times, it never gets 9ld.
Donald, thank you. That means more than you know. The fact that the virtual safari and the blog give you a good start to the day is exactly why we do it. And six safaris in, you know as well as anyone that it never gets old. It really doesn’t. Every drive is different and that is the beauty of it. Thank you for being such a loyal follower.
Hi Sean, oh that was fabulous seeing those little leopard cubs. I love leopard cubs as well and can watch them interact for ages. Hope they will grow up and be just as beautiful as the Ntomi male is. So very rare and absolutely amazing to see this Zebra Albino foal. Shame it is starting off with a backlog and know hearing the eyes are effected and very sensitive to light makes it even more difficult for the foal. Wow just look at those stomachs of the two Gijima males. It looks as if they are going to burst at any moment. Stunning males and two huge specimen.
Valmai, they are magnificent. There is something about leopard cubs at that age that is completely captivating. And wouldn’t that be something if one of them grew into a male with the presence of the Ntomi. We can dream.
You’re right about those Gijima Males and their stomachs.
Hey Sean, today’s virtual safari has to rank in the top 10 now for the fantastic footage of the albino Zebra foal as well as Ximungwe and her two cubs – certainly epic sightings. Even though the foal is about a month old, it still appears to be rather unsteady, staying close to its mother most of the time, not venturing too far away. Because of the diminished sight issues, perhaps that is why it looks a little wobbly.
And then, once again perseverance rewards you for sacrificing the sunrise photo, so you could get to the den site early and set up your gear. And what a reward you experienced – amazing video of her with her two adorable cubs. I’m sure it’s too early to sex them yet, but one looks very much like her last male cub who unfortunately disappeared before he turned one. Even though you had your engine turned off, they have that timid/inquisitive look that makes them all the more endearing. Ending with the two Gijimas taking a well-needed rest after their meal was stellar. I have my fingers crossed that the Zebra foal will still be in the grasslands 2 1/2 weeks from now so that I might see it for myself. However the best birthday gift would be seeing Ximungwe and her cubs – in all the years I’ve been on safari, I have never seen cubs younger than 9 months. There are never any guarantees but I’m going to try the “manifesting a sighting” theory introduced by Nic Martin – can’t hurt!
Denise, the foal does look a little unsteady. You could well be right. With compromised eyesight it must be that much harder to judge footing and navigate terrain confidently.
It is still too early to sex the cubs with any certainty but I know exactly what you mean about the one resembling her previous male cub. That same face. We will know soon enough.
I love that you are manifesting a sighting. Nic would be proud. Two and a half weeks is a good window and if that foal is still going and the Ximungwe Female is still using that den site then you are in with a real chance. What a birthday that would be.
What an incredible episode, Sean!
I LOVE to see the Ximungwe leopardess do soooo well. Last April, when we were there, she had an older cub that
she ultimately lost (which absolutely crushed us), and then she had her leg broken and now these beautiful two new lives.
I hope they will continue to thrive and they will be more protected this time. Always looking forward to more footage
of her. We have a special connection to her resilient and brave spirit.
The albino foal is so beautiful in all its fragility. I am pulling for it too. Hope it makes it farther than all the odds are
predicting … Here’s hoping.
Thank you for another amazing episode. The best of luck in your quests this week! Looking forward for more, always!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this message. The fact that you have followed the Ximungwe Female’s journey so closely and carry that connection to her really means a lot. You’re right, she has been through it. Losing that cub, the broken leg, all of it. And yet here she is, denning again with two healthy cubs. If any leopard has earned the word resilient it is her.
And yes, let’s hope that little white zebra surprises us all. Against all odds it is still out there. Thank you for watching and for caring so deeply about these animals.
Thank you, too!
Londolozi will forever remain in our hearts as our home that you all so generously shared. Every square inch of it is part of us now and we follow their day-to-day journey religiously. A pleasure! Thanks for doing your part to make this possible.
Sean, Incredible sightings! The albino Zebra is just amazing – your explanation was perfect. Your patience paid off with Ximungwe – the cubs are beautiful. It was so cute to see them looking in your direction, unsure, and probably checking you out! And wow, the Gijima Male lions are definitely a force to be reconned with!
Hi Sean – Any idea why the Virtual Safari’s are not coming directly to my email anymore but the blogs still are??? It’s been a few weeks now…was hoping just a glitch one week…and not going to my spam either 🙁 Can you help?!
Hi Anita, thanks for letting me know about this. I will look into it and see what the cause might be.
Thank you Sean 🙂